Beauty
by CeliaEquus
Summary: For the John Keats Challenge. Hurrah! The story of how Hermione fell in love with George during her fourth year. Disclaimer: as ever, I'm making no money from this, as I own nothing that has ever been copyrighted.


"Beauty"

The day that Hermione fell for George Weasley started like any other, as these days so often do. It was her fourth year. Ron was off somewhere with Harry, now that they had made up, and Hermione was thinking about her date for the Yule Ball. She knew that, while he liked her, he was only attracted to her in the first place because she didn't fawn over him like so many other girls did. With her own lack of good looks, she had taken him up on the offer. Also, no one else had asked her, and it was better than going stag.

Okay, so Viktor was nice enough. He wasn't her type; she'd always preferred red hair; and until today, she had thought that she loved Ron. But that was about to change.

"Hey, Granger." A Weasley twin plonked down on her right. It was Fred. Hermione looked to her left, and sure enough, George was just sitting down on her other side. They had, of course, spoken at the same time.

"Hello," she said, pushing back a stray bunch of hair. "What prank are you planning now?"

"Ah, Granger, you do us a disservice," Fred told her, putting an arm around her shoulders. George mirrored his actions, shifting closer to her.

"Now, what makes you think that we could _ever_ do a thing like that?" he asked.

"Your reputations," she said, arching an eyebrow. "Or should I say 'reputation'?" She tapped her fingers on her book absently. "Plus, you have that mischievous look about you, where I just _know_ you're planning something."

"Been watching us closely?" George asked, leaning down conspiratorially. "How interesting, our dear Hermione."

"Of course I watch you both carefully. I want to make sure that I'm not about to become one of your victims."

"So mistrusting for one so young," Fred said, shaking his head at his twin. "How can we remedy this, Gred?"

"I don't know, Forge. Perhaps we should invite her to the ball?"

"I've already been invited, and you, Fred, already have a date."

"Ah, poor George. He's been plucking up the courage to ask you for ages, haven't you?"

"Fred…"

"Sorry to disappoint, George," Hermione said, but she looked as though she didn't believe them. "And I suppose it was my stunningly dull looks that attracted you to me in the first place, am I correct?"

"Stunning, yes," he said quietly. "But not dull."

"Plain, then."

"I'm going to go and talk to Angelina," Fred said, his eyes lighting up as he saw his girlfriend walk into the common room. "See ya!" He left them, George blushing furiously, and Hermione frowning in confusion.

"George?"

"You're not plain, Hermione."

"Were you actually going to…"

"Have you really got a date? Not that I blame the bloke. I just envy him; that's all."

"Yes. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"But you fancy Ron anyway, don't you?"

"Well, I…"

"It's okay, Hermione." He stood. "But you really are beautiful. Don't doubt that."

"I already knew that you had a brilliant imagination, George. But it's outstanding if you could ever think of me as beautiful."

He bent down, and cupped her chin. "_What the imagination seizes as beauty must be truth_." He pulled back, gave her a forlorn smile, and walked over to join Fred.

Gaping as he walked away, Hermione knew that, at that moment, she fell in love with George Weasley.

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This was for the John Keats Challenge. It's an alternate situation for the fourth book, and possibly the first chapter/prologue for a story I want to write, pairing these two together. It's been said that George and Angelina married because they were united in their grief over Fred's death, which makes me wonder who George might have got together with had Fred lived, and wed Angelina instead. I think that Hermione would make a better match with one of the twins than Ron. I mean, think about Lily and James Potter: the good girl and the prankster.

***Shakes head***

**Hey, it could happen!**

**(Well, not really; but in fan fiction, anything is possible.)**

**Please review!**


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